Letting Go
by SparkELee
Summary: Danny goes too far and Lindsay cna't take it, not anymore. She turns to the one person who understands. ONE SHOT.


A/N: One shot. This is a darker portrayal of Danny so if you don't like the idea of drugs, etc, then this isn't for you.

Letting Go

He hadn't meant for it to happen. The pain had been so intense, the doctors had to give him something.

His addictive personality kicked in hard once the Vicodin hit his system. It wasn't long before he'd traded alternative medicine for hard drugs.

Vicodin was the beginning. Vicodin he could hide. Lindsay was just busy enough to not notice.

But, like every other vice in Danny's life, he took it too far and he spiraled out of control.

He did what he could to keep his addiction to a minimum. He tried to stick to pills, he tried not to do it when he had to work.

But when his addiction took over, it really didn't care what he wanted.

Which was why he was now sitting alone, in his apartment, coked out of his mind.

She'd figured it out. She'd figured out he was addicted before he did.

And she'd tried. She'd tried hiding the drugs. She'd tried following him and threatening his dealers, she'd covered for him at work. She couldn't do it anymore.

She'd come home, exhausted after an especially grueling double, to find her husband passed out, white powder remnants on her coffee table, and her child, crying out in anguish in the nursery.

What Lindsay found hit her like a ton of bricks. Lucy was covered in feces and vomit. It was obvious he hadn't changed her all day. Her bottle was filled with what smelt like coddled milk and apple juice. There was vomit everywhere. The little girl held out her arms to her mother, her cries growing louder.

She shoved down her own need to vomit and quickly whisked her daughter away to the bathroom. She bathed, fed and changed Lucy. She quickly deposited the girl into her playpen while she packed a couple of bags, one for herself and one for Lucy.

After dropping the bags by the door she headed to the bedroom to her bedside table. She went to put her key in to unlock it when it came open in her hands. Her heart started hammering in her chest.

_He didn't. Please god…. Please… That's… That's all we have…_

Danny had ruined them financially months ago. She'd been forced to take herself off direct deposit so he couldn't get at her money, which was essentially what they were living on since he'd gone back on medical leave for his back. He'd withdrawn their savings, his 401K, and on their credit cards.

She'd been stashing away cash whenever she could and locking it in her bedside table, along with her valuables.

It was gone. The $1500 she'd saved, her mother's jewelry, all of it. She squeezed her eyes shut to hold back the tears. She couldn't fall apart now. Lucy needed her.

She went to Lucy's room, grabbed the girl, placed her in her car seat, folded up her play pen, grabbed their belongings and walked out.

She left and she went to the only person who would possibly understand her situation.

It was 1 am when Don Flack's buzzer woke him. He hadn't been sleeping well lately and this was one of the first decent nights of sleep he'd had.

He stumbled to the intercom, his eyes squinting at the kitchen light.

"Hello?" He pushed out, his voice gravelly and sleep ridden.

"Don? It's Lindsay."

His eyes flew open wide. "Linds? What's wrong??! What happened?!" He questioned frantically.

"Can you just come down please?" She asked softly.

Not two minutes later, he was standing in the lobby of his building, staring at his best friend's wife and daughter and their belongings.

"I'm so sorry sweetheart." He whispered, wrapping his arms around her.

"I just… I couldn't stay… He… He neglected her all day. She was covered…. In…In her own vomit and feces and I… I had to go. He took it all Don. Everything. My money, my mom's jewelry, all of it… It's gone. I can't even afford a hotel. I'm sorry I came so late… I didn't know what to do." She whispered into his chest, her words peppered with small sobs and sad pauses.

"You did the right thing. It's gonna be OK Linds, it's gonna be OK." He pulled back and gazed into her exhausted brown eyes. He reached down and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Let's get the nugget upstairs and get you guys settled, OK?"

She nodded and they trekked up to his apartment and settled the baby into his spare room.

He guided her to his own bed. He tucked her in and kissed her forehead. "Sleep Linds. We'll talk tomorrow."

And they did. She'd made her decision. She was done. She made an appointment with a divorce lawyer and promised Flack she'd be out as soon as she got on her feet.

He told her to shut up, she'd stay as long as she wanted, no questions.

Two weeks later, Don was standing outside Danny's door. He pounded twice to no avail.

He sighed and pulled out the key Lindsay had given him. She knew he wouldn't answer.

Don unlocked the door and immediately recoiled at the stench. Clearly Danny had given up on cleaning and showering.

He found his co-worker sprawled out on the couch, random paraphernalia scattered around him.

Sighing heavily, he walked around to the back of his couch and lowered his head to Danny's ear.

"MESSER!!!" He yelled in his ear.

Danny sprang upright, his eyes wild and unfocused.

He turned and found himself face to face with Flack.

"Wha…What…What's going on?" He questioned hazily.

"I'm just here to give you these." Flack informed him shortly, shoving a manila envelope into Danny's chest as the shorter man stumbled to stand up.

Danny fumbled for the envelope and pulled out the paperwork.

"She wants a divorce?" He asked after his eyes focused on the document in front of him.

"She's done Messer. Do her this favor, give her back her life." Flack suggested as he headed back to the door.

"What if I don't want to?" He called to the taller man.

"I don't want to come back here Danny, I really don't. But I will. Sign the papers. Let them be. It's not like you want them anyways." Flack pointed out, his gaze shifting through the room as if to prove his point.

He'd just reached the door when Danny's voice stopped him.

"How are they?"

"They're with me. So they're great."

"Will you… Uhh… I mean… I don't want her to be alone… If I sign… Will you take care of them?"

Flack nodded. "Yeah. I will."

The taller man stepped towards Danny and handed him a pen. "Do this Dan. Let them go."

He silently accepted the pen and put his signature and initials where it was necessary.

Flack collected the papers and shoved them back in the envelope.

"That's it? It's over?" Danny questioned softly.

"That's it."

Just a little drabble. I guess I felt like the sailing's been too smooth for the Messer clan, needed to shake it up.


End file.
